[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 222 (Tuesday, November 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68679-68680]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-27244]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CD15-1-000]


San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District; Notice of 
Preliminary Determination of a Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility 
and Soliciting Comments and Motions To Intervene

    On October 27, 2014, the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water 
District filed a notice of intent to construct a qualifying conduit 
hydropower facility, pursuant to section 30 of the Federal Power Act 
(FPA), as amended by section 4 of the Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency 
Act of 2013 (HREA). The proposed Waterman Turnout In-Conduit 
Hydroelectric Project would have an installed capacity of 865 kilowatts 
(kW) and would be located on the existing 30-inch-diameter Waterman 
turnout, which branches off the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water 
District's Foothill Pipeline. The project would be located near the 
city of San Bernardino in San Bernardino County, California.
    Applicant Contact: Wen Huang, 380 East Vanderbilt Way, San 
Bernardino, CA 92408, Phone No. (909) 387-9223.
    FERC Contact: Robert Bell, Phone No. (202) 502-6062, email: 
[email protected].
    Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility Description: The proposed 
project would consist of: (1) One proposed 35-foot-long, 24-inch 
diameter pipe; (2) a proposed 850-square-feet concrete powerhouse 
containing one 2-jet Pelton turbine-generator with an installed 
capacity of 865 kW; (3) a proposed 59-foot-long, 24-inch diameter 
bypass pipe to allow groundwater recharge to continue when the plant is 
not operating; (4) the existing discharge structure ; and (5) 
appurtenant facilities. The proposed project would have an estimated 
annual generating capacity of 3,575 megawatt-hours.
    A qualifying conduit hydropower facility is one that is determined 
or deemed to meet all of the criteria shown in the table below.

                          Table 1--Criteria for Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility
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                                                                                                    Satisfies (Y/
            Statutory provision                                   Description                            N)
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FPA 30(a)(3)(A), as amended by HREA.......  The conduit the facility uses is a tunnel, canal,                 Y
                                             pipeline, aqueduct, flume, ditch, or similar manmade
                                             water conveyance that is operated for the
                                             distribution of water for agricultural, municipal, or
                                             industrial consumption and not primarily for the
                                             generation of electricity.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(i), as amended by HREA....  The facility is constructed, operated, or maintained              Y
                                             for the generation of electric power and uses for
                                             such generation only the hydroelectric potential of a
                                             non-federally owned conduit.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(ii), as amended by HREA...  The facility has an installed capacity that does not              Y
                                             exceed 5 megawatts.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(iii), as amended by HREA..  On or before August 9, 2013, the facility is not                  Y
                                             licensed, or exempted from the licensing requirements
                                             of Part I of the FPA.
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[[Page 68680]]

    Preliminary Determination: Based upon the above criteria, 
Commission staff preliminarily determines that the proposal satisfies 
the requirements for a qualifying conduit hydropower facility, which is 
not required to be licensed or exempted from licensing.
    Comments and Motions to Intervene: Deadline for filing comments 
contesting whether the facility meets the qualifying criteria is 45 
days from the issuance date of this notice.
    Deadline for filing motions to intervene is 30 days from the 
issuance date of this notice.
    Anyone may submit comments or a motion to intervene in accordance 
with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 
385.210 and 385.214. Any motions to intervene must be received on or 
before the specified deadline date for the particular proceeding.
    Filing and Service of Responsive Documents: All filings must (1) 
bear in all capital letters the ``COMMENTS CONTESTING QUALIFICATION FOR 
A CONDUIT HYDROPOWER FACILITY'' or ``MOTION TO INTERVENE,'' as 
applicable; (2) state in the heading the name of the applicant and the 
project number of the application to which the filing responds; (3) 
state the name, address, and telephone number of the person filing; and 
(4) otherwise comply with the requirements of sections 385.2001 through 
385.2005 of the Commission's regulations.\1\ All comments contesting 
Commission staff's preliminary determination that the facility meets 
the qualifying criteria must set forth their evidentiary basis.
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    \1\ 18 CFR 385.2001-2005 (2013).
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    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
motions to intervene and comments using the Commission's eFiling system 
at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. Commenters can submit 
brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, 
using the eComment system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp. You must include your name and contact information at the 
end of your comments. For assistance, please contact FERC Online 
Support at [email protected], (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or 
(202) 502-8659 (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please send a paper 
copy to: Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First 
Street NE., Washington, DC 20426. A copy of all other filings in 
reference to this application must be accompanied by proof of service 
on all persons listed in the service list prepared by the Commission in 
this proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b) and 385.2010.
    Locations of Notice of Intent: Copies of the notice of intent can 
be obtained directly from the applicant or such copies can be viewed 
and reproduced at the Commission in its Public Reference Room, Room 2A, 
888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426. The filing may also be 
viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp using 
the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number (e.g., CD15-1-000) in 
the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, call 
toll-free 1-866-208-3676 or email [email protected]. For TTY, 
call (202) 502-8659.

    Dated: November 10, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-27244 Filed 11-17-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P